Uriah Hall, Demetrious Johnson and a Bunch of Kids in Harlem

The hundred or so kids sitting on the gymnasium floor before Demetrious Johnson and Uriah Hall had very little inkling as to what it meant to be a UFC flyweight champ or a TUF runner-up. But they recognized that the men were fighters, and when “Mighty Mouse” demonstrated a lightning-like combo that ended with a liver punch on Hall, and when Hall executed a spinning hook-kick on Johnson’s out-stretched hand, they let out the kinds of oohs and ahhhs that kids between 5- and 12-years old are known to produce.

To celebrate Black History Month, the UFC has embarked on a week-long tour with stops in Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Atlanta and Los Angeles. Yesterday, the “party” came to New York City – the Boys and Girls Club in Harlem, to be exact.

Johnson and Hall were joined by broadcasting personality Karyn Bryant, and CagedInsider was on hand to watch as the champ and the TUFer blended talking about the evils of bullying with frequently admonishing the assembled youngsters for talking out of turn or not paying attention.

For all their unruliness though, the kids seemed to enjoy meeting the fighters. And when it came time for autographs, everyone of them lined up for a turn. Sure, Hall had to make one of the little hooligans stand in a corner, but hey, kids will be kids – you know?